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LIMERICK TD PATRICK O’Donovan has said that frontline policing numbers could be boosted if retired gardai serving on the Garda Reserve carried out some of the administrative roles currently being filled by full time members of the force.
O’Donovan raised the issue in a series of parliamentary questions to the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.
Under current regulations, the majority of retired gardai automatically meet the entry requirements to serve as members of the Garda Reserve. O’Donovan said that considering the impacts of the hiring ban in the public service, “we need to look at how we can use this voluntary source of manpower to maximum benefit”. He said:
There are currently about 340 Gardaí engaged exclusively in administrative duties,” he said. “I am encouraging the Minister to look at whether retired members of the force, serving as part of the Garda Reserve, could fill some of these posts. This would free up serving gardai to carry out frontline policing duties.
The Fine Gael TD said many administrative posts relate back to office and communication functions and could be filled by Reservists. He said it was also likely that retired gardai could carry out many roles that may not be appropriate for regular Reservists, due to their additional training and experience.
In his reply, Minister Shatter said there are over 2,000 full-time equivalent civilian support staff in the Garda Síochána who provide support in administrative areas. He said:
We will continue to maximise the number of civilian support staff in An Garda Síochána consistent with overall policy on numbers in the public service and taking into account the scope for the appropriate redeployment of staff from elsewhere in the public service as part of the reform process under the Croke Park Agreement.
O’Donovan said that while he welcomed Shatter’s commitment to civilian support in An Garda Síochána he hoped his suggestion would be considered as a way to ease the strain on Garda resources.
“At a time when our resources are under severe pressure, we need to look at every possible way to boost and protect frontline services through staff redeployment,” he said.
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Why would Gardai who retired (or felt forced to retire early back in February) go back and do the job effectively for free?
Free???nThey’ll be getting their full pension and a wage too more than likely, that’s how this country usually works. nLift the recruitment ban and get the young lads and ladies in the country into employment instead of bringing retirees out of retirement :)n
Or they could just start recruiting again. Just saying.
Exactly it has been stopped long enough!
Remove or reduce reserve numbers. Recruit real Gardai. Reserves are a wondrous PR tool however have no ability to fulfil continuity to the job. Present court cases or provide any real support to active members. Not the case in every Garda Reserve but for the most part I imagine a full time recruit would be preferred to a one day a week/month appearance from Reserve Rob?!
How much money is spent on recruiting, training, kiting out and providing the tax relief for successful Reserve candidates…?
How many full time recruits could you then hire in lieu of these weekend warriors..?
@Niall Murray. Reservists get expenses only. Its a set rate of €1000 for a minimum of 200 hours per year, effectively €5 per hour. I’m sure retired gardai that have worked in a dangerous and difficult job for 30 years would be thrilled to receive such a generous package to answer phones…. And the generous pension you speak of? Is that the same one that he/she will have contributed to for 30/40 years and is now paid for by a weekly 7.5% levy on gross pay? kindly button it
@Mel, next time your having trouble and you were going to ring 999, don’t. Shurah ring Pasdy the builder down the road. He’s as good!!
This is rich coming from a politician they don’t even pay for their own photocopying ink or paper
Everyone else work for nothing except us
Lift the ban and recruit young people
The Garda Reserve is a failed exercise and a liability. You want more Gardai? Then start recruiting them. Don’t have people in ‘fancy dress’ walking about representing to be something that they are not.
Someone give this man a medal, brilliant and insightful thinking but why stop there, why not allow nurses who have retired with a pension resume work the next day through agencies……sure they’re top mates with the nursing managers, no problem getting the hours and who cares about the hundreds of nurses qualifying every year who have to head abroad to seek employment……actually, that’s happening already.
Disregard my piece about insightful thinking, this practice has being ongoing since 2006.
Here is an idea, why not get rid of TD expenses, lower the TD wage to 1.5 times the average wage, and put a cap on the most a TD/public servant can claim as a pension (again 1.5 times the average wage) taking into account any earnings made (so if someone makes more than 1.5 times the average wage with a book deal, speeches, or consultancy work, they get no pension that year). I am willing to bet the money saved will pay for more Gardai.
niall Murray, how do you figure they’ll be getting a wage? Reserves serve for FREE, save for a meagre yearly allowance and are thru not entitled to their pension after serving the country for at least 30yrs.
Does anyone honestly think that a retired Garda is going to come back to work for free??? Seriously, would any of you work for nothing after you’ve retired? n
Or. Maybe solve problem by stopping providing free ‘security’ to shell/topaz or maybe keep the peace only. Really guards now are enforcers for banks and debt collectors. Shame on them
Shame on you for such a ridiculous comment
Again you’re a contender for stupid comment of the week anal.
Anel
That was probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You really should be ashamed of yourself
Absolutely CLUELESS! Some say ignorance is bliss. Usually the ignorant.
there, their, they’re. When will people learn to use these words correctly
Here we go again.
Countless Ministers of justice have promised to recruit more civilians to release Gardai for “frontline duty” but have not.. What none of them will admit is that many Gardai are perfectly happy sitting in the station instead of patrolling the street, and that the senior management resist civilianisation.
One real issue is that an unpromoted Garda above a certain age may be more use as an administrator than he would be on the street.
there are many unemployed people who could do these admin jobs also iT usage would eliminate wasteful practices
Or they could just make them retire at 65 like normal people
So his solution is to bring them back to work after giving them a huge lump sum and a subsidised pension and then pay them again for there work only on Ireland
Simply wouldn’t happen in the private sector
Have you read any of the comments explaining that reserves don’t get paid? Maybe you should before leaving any more comments
have your say